Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Pepper, the robot who understands your emotions

Pepper is capable of identifying the principal emotions: joy, sadness, anger or surprise.

He is also capable of interpreting a smile, a frown, your tone of voice, as well as the lexical field you use and non-verbal language such as the angle of your head, for example.

The combination of all this information enables the robot to determine whether his human interlocutor is in a good or a bad mood.

Pepper was designed to make his interaction with human beings as natural and intuitive as possible.

Hearing and Speaking : Interacting and interpreting emotions wouldn't be possible without the 4 directional microphones located on Pepper's head. They enable him to detect where sounds are coming from and locate your position, while also allowing him to identify the emotions transmitted by your voice.

Seeing : Pepper is able to function in complex environments thanks to his 3D camera and 2 HD cameras that enable him to identify movements, and recognise the emotions on the faces of his interlocutors. If you are happy, Pepper will share your joy, and if you are sad, Pepper will comfort you.

Connection : Connected directly to the internet, Pepper can keep you up to date with the latest news, the weather forecast, or even help you to find a recipe! Don't hesitate to chat with him on the subject of your choice.

Tablette: Pepper uses his tablet to help you make choices, but also to express his own emotions.

Emotion engine : By perceiving and analysing your emotions, and learning to get to know you, Pepper is able to adapt his attitude to suit your own as closely as possible. This constant dialogue between perception, adaptation, learning and choice is the result of what is known as the emotion engine.

Control and balance : Thanks to his anti-collision system, Pepper detects both people and obstacles in order to reduce the risk of unexpected collisions. Pepper is also able to maintain his balance, which stops him from falling if somebody knocks him over.

Movement and autonomy : You will be amazed by the flexibility and fluidity of Pepper's movements! His 3 multi-directional wheels enable him to move around freely through 360°, at a maximum speed of 3 km/h. No less than 20 engines (head, arms, back) control his movements with great precision. Lastly, Pepper is equipped with a high capacity lithium-ion battery, giving him approximately 12 hours of autonomy.

High Definition vision : Pepper is equipped with two high-resolution cameras as well as a 3D camera enabling him to effectively understand his environment. The images are processed by shape recognition software capable of identifying faces and objects.

Interpreting emotions : Pepper boasts the latest technology, which means he is able to identify your emotions by your voice as well as the expressions on your face. Pepper reacts accordingly and is delighted if you are happy, or does his best to comfort you if you are sad. In addition to faces, Pepper is also able to recognise people by their voices. Thanks to his 4 directional microphones and his loudspeakers, Pepper is able to locate the source of sounds and engage in conversation in response.

A network of sensors : Pepper possesses numerous sensors: two ultrasound transmitters and receivers, six laser sensors and three obstacle detectors placed in his legs. These sensors provide him with information about the distance of nearby objects (a range of 3 metres), in addition to his three cameras (two RGB cameras and one 3D camera placed in his head). Another sensor within the battery indicates its level of charge as well as its temperature. Pepper also possesses tactile sensors in his hands, which are used when he is playing games or for social interaction.

Linked to the world : For autonomous internet access, Pepper is equipped with wireless connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n.

Welcome to the community : A community of developers in Japan and throughout the world is imagining and designing new content for Pepper. The library of applications for this new type of companion is growing and evolving every single day.

Customers can use robot apps by signing up for the Pepper Basic Plan. In addition to the pre-installed basic apps, customers can download robot apps from the app store to add new possibilities. Robot apps can be downloaded for free and by using ‘cocorogumi’, special robot apps are also available for download.